Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 55gr | Hornady Traditional/FMJ bullet and 40 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2219, SNPE Vectan SP 10 and Norma 200.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 88% | 53,751 psi | 86% | 3012 fps | 99.7% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,067 psi | 80% | 3028 fps | 98.8% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 98% | 52,315 psi | 84% | 3071 fps | 96.6% |
| Accurate 2495ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,855 psi | 61% | 2854 fps | 96.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,259 psi | 87% | 3018 fps | 98.3% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,752 psi | 88% | 3025 fps | 96.6% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,245 psi | 89% | 2936 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,127 psi | 85% | 3077 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,985 psi | 90% | 3169 fps | 98.4% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,412 psi | 74% | 3058 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,041 psi | 87% | 3123 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 92% | 55,477 psi | 89% | 3087 fps | 99.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,115 psi | 90% | 3045 fps | 98.8% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,156 psi | 85% | 3127 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,347 psi | 89% | 3150 fps | 97.4% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,260 psi | 90% | 3074 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,647 psi | 51% | 1919 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,642 psi | 70% | 3012 fps | 96.8% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,201 psi | 89% | 3104 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 55,811 psi | 89% | 3051 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,114 psi | 88% | 3091 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,316 psi | 85% | 3100 fps | 96% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 88% | 54,114 psi | 87% | 2999 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,911 psi | 86% | 3104 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,618 psi | 51% | 1965 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 88% | 55,854 psi | 90% | 3084 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,490 psi | 86% | 3097 fps | 95.9% |
| Rottweil R 901ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,892 psi | 78% | 3015 fps | 95.8% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,316 psi | 85% | 3100 fps | 96% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,114 psi | 88% | 3091 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 54,447 psi | 87% | 2844 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,057 psi | 90% | 3159 fps | 97.5% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,824 psi | 88% | 3127 fps | 98.9% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,631 psi | 78% | 2943 fps | 95.9% |
| Somchem S335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,702 psi | 75% | 2933 fps | 96.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,956 psi | 90% | 2949 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,200 psi | 85% | 3028 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,723 psi | 88% | 3064 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 47,543 psi | 76% | 2949 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,523 psi | 63% | 2881 fps | 96.8% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,263 psi | 66% | 2789 fps | 98% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,085 psi | 58% | 2753 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 94% | 45,948 psi | 74% | 2963 fps | 95% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 98% | 35,288 psi | 57% | 2795 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 84% | 39,697 psi | 64% | 2746 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 90% | 48,356 psi | 78% | 2917 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,880 psi | 83% | 2890 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,680 psi | 59% | 2776 fps | 99.6% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 23.2 gr | 88% | 42,583 psi | 68% | 2930 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 86% | 29,414 psi | 47% | 2648 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,430 psi | 52% | 2684 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,913 psi | 61% | 2762 fps | 97.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,741 psi | 65% | 2776 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,973 psi | 66% | 2894 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 92% | 45,150 psi | 72% | 2972 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,772 psi | 70% | 2851 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,337 psi | 37% | 1722 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,348 psi | 61% | 2890 fps | 95% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,561 psi | 52% | 2651 fps | 96.5% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,106 psi | 71% | 2858 fps | 99.8% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,417 psi | 84% | 3045 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 90% | 49,850 psi | 80% | 3045 fps | 95.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,033 psi | 69% | 2818 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 19.9 gr | 80% | 34,345 psi | 55% | 2720 fps | 97% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,003 psi | 37% | 1755 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,323 psi | 69% | 2874 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 96% | 49,545 psi | 79% | 3028 fps | 95% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 98% | 45,977 psi | 74% | 2959 fps | 95.1% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 90% | 49,850 psi | 80% | 3045 fps | 95.2% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,417 psi | 84% | 3045 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,595 psi | 63% | 2621 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | 24.5 gr | 90% | 45,890 psi | 74% | 2982 fps | 95.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 86% | 37,492 psi | 60% | 2795 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 98% | 45,513 psi | 73% | 2887 fps | 95.1% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,249 psi | 66% | 2825 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,270 psi | 81% | 2867 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,854 psi | 59% | 2746 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,228 psi | 53% | 2644 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 92% | 37,304 psi | 60% | 2749 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 96% | 34,621 psi | 56% | 2766 fps | 95.1% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 40 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 55gr | Hornady Traditional/FMJ. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,169 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,919 fps to 3,169 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 40 of the 40 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (430 MPa), the top charges use 51–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 55.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:12.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2015, Accurate 2495, Alliant AR-Comp reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. ADI AR 2219, SNPE Vectan SP 10, Norma 200 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 55gr | Hornady Traditional/FMJ they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.